Disclosure in JP 2016-152147 A has been proposed as a conventional branch connector to be used for branching a twisted pair cable. As illustrated in FIGS. 17 and 18, a conventional branch connector 100 includes a housing 102 having a pair of right and left terminal accommodating chambers 101, and a pair of pressure contact terminals 110 arranged in the respective terminal accommodating chambers 101. The pair of terminal accommodating chambers 101 is partitioned by a partition wall 103. The partition wall 103 is provided with an upper split rib 104 protruded upwardly, and a lower split rib 105 projected downwardly. A beam portion 106 is provided at an intermediate position in the vertical direction of each of the terminal accommodating chambers 101. The beam portion 106 is not arranged at the entry position of upper pressure contact blades 111 from the lower side.
Each of the pressure contact terminals 110 includes the upper pressure contact blades 111 arranged at upper positions, and lower pressure contact blades 112 arranged at lower positions. The upper pressure contact blades 111 and the lower pressure contact blades 112 are coupled with each other.
Next, the operation of assembling a pair of first cables W1 constituting a twisted pair cable, a pair of second cables W2 constituting a twisted pair cable, and the pressure contact terminals 110 with the housing 102 will be described.
First, the two second cables W2 partially unwound from the twist of the twisted pair cable are split by the lower split rib 105 and inserted into the pair of terminal accommodating chambers 101 from below the housing 102.
Next, the respective pressure contact terminals 110 are inserted into the respective terminal accommodating chambers 101 from below the housing 102. In insertion of the pressure contact terminals 110 from below the housing 102, the second cables W2 are prevented from moving upward by the beam portions 106. Therefore, the upper pressure contact blades 111 of the pressure contact terminals 110 pass while cutting the insulating sheath of the second cables W2. Then, further insertion of the pressure contact terminals 110 from below the housing 102 is continued, so that the respective second cables W2 are connected with corresponding lower pressure contact blades 112 by pressure contact.
Next, the two first cables W1 partially unwound from the twist of the twisted pair cable are split by the upper split rib 104 and inserted into the pair of terminal accommodating chambers 101 from above the housing 102. When the respective first cables W1 are inserted into the respective terminal accommodating chambers 101 of the housing 102, the respective first cables W1 are connected with corresponding upper pressure contact blades 111 by pressure contact.
As a result, the two first cables W1 constituting a twisted pair cable and corresponding two second cables W2 constituting a twisted pair cable are electrically connected with each other via the pair of pressure contact terminals 110.